Polls & Research
Archive Search
Canadians Divided Over Afghanistan Mission
(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Adults in Canada are split over their country's participation in Afghanistan, according to a poll by Decima Research. 45 per cent of respondents think having Canadian troops in the area is a good idea, while 46 per cent disagree.
Afghanistan has been the main battleground in the war on terrorism. The conflict began in October 2001, after the Taliban regime refused to hand over Osama bin Laden, prime suspect in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. Al-Qaeda operatives hijacked and crashed four airplanes on Sept. 11, 2001, killing nearly 3,000 people.
Last month, Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper travelled to Afghanistan in his first official trip as head of government. Harper dismissed any changes to the mission, declaring, "We don't make a commitment and then run away at the first sign of trouble. We don't, and we will not, as long as I'm leading this country." 58 per cent of respondents believe Canada's soldiers should remain in Afghanistan for two years at the most.
At least 351 soldiers—including 11 Canadians—have died in the war on terrorism, either in support of the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom or as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). 46 per cent of respondents believe Canada should remain committed to the mission despite the casualties, while 44 per cent think it is time to rethink the deployment.
Earlier this month, New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jack Layton called for a vote in the House of Commons if the deployment in Afghanistan lasts beyond the current end date of February 2007.
On Apr. 13, Harper explained his rationale for future operations, declaring, "What I would like to see done with our military that's a little different than the past is rather than placing a handful of soldiers here and there, really concentrate our efforts in places in ways that we can show leadership and take a substantial load and take a very visible role, so we make a real notable contribution that the military as a whole is committed to and engaged in rather than a whole bunch of piecemeal missions."
Polling Data
Do you think having Canadian troops in Afghanistan is a good idea or a bad idea?
Good idea | 45% |
Bad idea | 46% |
How long should Canadian troops remain in Afghanistan?
Not more than a year | 43% |
A year or two longer | 15% |
Up to five years | 10% |
As long as it takes | 25% |
Should Canada rethink the deployment given the number of casualties, or remain committed to the mission notwithstanding the casualties?
Remain committed | 46% |
Rethink the deployment | 44% |
Source: Decima Research
Methodology: Online interviews with 2,131 Canadian adults, conducted from Mar. 31 to Apr. 1, 2006. Margin of error is 2.2 per cent.
